It's 1979 in Brockville!

Pennsylvania's Jeremy Plant visited Brockville, ON on August 11, 1979. That same evening, I was trackside in Kingston. Jeremy recently posted some of his Brockville photos on Facebook, and two are published here with his permission. An Ottawa-Toronto VIA train negotiates the final CP Rail trackage into Brockville, before gaining CN's Kingston Sub for the remainder of its trip to Toronto. Of the nine-car consist, I was able to record five cars at speed at Kingston. Power was 6793-6633, and I noted lead baggage 9649, cafe-bar lounge 2500, University Club, coach 5495 and tail-end baggage 9652.

VIA 2500 and 6793 retained CN colours into 1981, though 9649 was in VIA paint next year, in 1980.

I really enjoy being able to indulge in this type of sleuthing, matching retro photos to consist information I diligently recorded and much later, published on paper. Anyone looking at this photo might glean a locomotive number or two, and draw some conclusion about the train's consist, but to have useable consist information to apply 37 years later is remarkable.

Here, the train is accelerating west from Brockville, reaching Kingston after sunset.

I'm glad Jeremy visited Canada, taking and sharing these fine photos, and I'm also glad to have some small part in interpreting this bit of early-era VIA history!

Highball!
Eric